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Guide to Ascaria
See also: Nesaria General Guide Ascaria is the capital city of the Nesarian Empire, a fact which quickly becomes obvious when you step in. The city's grand architecture brings in millions of tourists and is something that should be seen at least once - it is often said that Ascaria was built by artists rather than engineers. Behind the vast, imposing Great Wall that cuts off Ascaria from the rest of Nesaria, lies an ancient city with a diverse character. Twin statues of Akras (the god of war and bravery) carved into the Great Wall guard the Western Gate with shield and spear, and although the busy road and railway passing through does detract somewhat from the scene, it has otherwise been well-preserved, looking the same as it did when the decorations were created 2400 years ago, despite being widened to double its original size and renovated several times. The Eastern Gate, further from the entrance into Nesaria but typically more popular with tourists, is closer to its original size and highly decorated, its most prominent feature being a colossal bust of Yakela, king of the gods, situated above the arch, made of stone and bronze and still kept to a gleaming shine. A Brief History Ascaria was founded in 600BC and the city-state quickly rose to prominence, being the most successful child of the Eshérian Invasion. Its founder, King Mathados I (who is still revered in Ascaria), rapidly conquered and established the nearby Cafanivon (Wallshire) and Infrivon (Infrishire) and began the construction of the Great Wall. The Kingdom of Ascaria over time spread to become the dominant force in Nesaria, eventually transitioning into the Republic of Nesaria and then the Nesarian Empire, formed by Emperor Mathados IV and then immediately broken again before being re-formed for good by Emperor Athdus III, also known as Emperor Athdus the Great and Saint Athdus the Commander. During these conquests the city grew to an impressive size, the wealth that new conquests brought adding ever more splendour as more extravagant buildings could be afforded. However, this was cut short by the War Against the Xaenis, when large swathes of the city were utterly destroyed, including many of the most ancient buildings. The sheer scale of devastation took decades to repair, although it did allow the Emperors to better plan out the city, which was previously a disorganised mess. The architectural peak of the city was reached during the Fifth Age, when just over 1300 years of peace (interrupted by the catastrophic Time of Troubles at the end of the 10th century) left the Emperors and other notable figures with little else to do except build, which was mostly focussed on Ascaria. The magnificent monuments they raised to the power of themselves and the gods are still well-maintained to this day, and can be seen almost exactly as they were when they were built. It was during this period that the elaborate and impressive Nesarian Gothic style took off (despite the name, it is totally unrelated to the other Gothic architectural movements). The arrival of Christianity in the 15th century also brought with it Byzantine architecture, although this had a limited presence in Ascaria compared to the south of Nesaria, where it flourished (along with Christianity itself). Unfortunately Nesarian Gothic died out around this time as the style started to become associated with Christianity, although it was revived in the late 19th century. Districts Ascaria is separated out into various semi-official districts, which represent the general purpose and style of a particular area of the city. Imperial District The Imperial District (or Regensa) is situated on Capera Hill and, as the name suggests, is the residence of the Imperial family and other high nobility. Because it still serves this purpose, the majority of the buildings are closed to the public, although they can still be enjoyed from the paths. The sights to see here are obviously the Imperial Residence (where the Imperial family lives) and the Imperial Office (where they work), although the various other palaces in the district are not to be overlooked. The Imperial Residence's current form was completed in the 15th century, although a fire caused by Republican arsonists in the Nesarian Civil War destroyed much of it, leading it to be rebuilt in 1840 in a similar style to what it was originally, but with some architectural flairs common in other contemporary European palaces. Despite its large size and extravagant exterior, the interior is (by monarchical standards) quite simplistic, following an ancient Nesarian tradition that the monarch and other nobles should live "comfortably, but not decadently". This is the private property of the Emperor, and so unless you have an inviation from him, you will be refused entry by the well-armed and well-dressed guards. The Imperial Office is open for guided tours on weekends, where visitors can browse the halls and gardens, which are extensive due to a (true) long-standing belief that closer proximity to nature makes workers less stressed. The Imperial Office is a good example of the Nesarian Gothic style, strongly exhibiting the trait of contrasting stones, with white and black marbles, pink granite and basalt. The Imperial District also contains the High Temple of Capera, the first Elvetan temple built in Nesaria. This is open to the public, although it is visually not as impressive as other temples and is not overly welcoming to tourists. The Imperial District is the safest district in Ascaria along with the Cathedral District, with almost zero reported crimes each year. Cathedral District The Cathedral District (or, as it is known in Nesarian, Tivensa or Temple District) is by far the most architecturally impressive district of Ascaria, and both the oldest and best-preserved, much of it being built in the Fifth Age during the long 1300 year long peace. It is entirely dedicated to Elvetan temples, with the High Temple of Iseros at its centre. This district can only be traversed on foot. The large number of temples are so closely packed that they resemble one vast temple, with a multitude of towers, small gardens, canals (which actually serve little purpose beyond aesthetics) and bridges. The Nesarian Gothic style reaches its zenith in this area, and it is hard to accurately describe the sheer number of intricately detailed arches, windows and towers that fill this stone jungle. Due to the religious nature of the area, there are few shops, although there are two restaurants open to the public, which are owned by priests and donate all their profit to the temples. As such, these places only serve drinks with no or low alcohol. Despite still being the religious centre of Ascaria and Nesaria, the resident priests welcome the public into the area, with some exceptions such as housing and the more sacred temples. However, since all of the land is made up of temples, the Akrasans and Knights are out in force, essentially serving as the police for this district. These armed guards are not for show and will arrest you if you disrespect or damage the temples. This means that the district is very safe, with almost zero reported crimes each year, unless you damage the temples in which case this place will be very hostile to you.